Hunters, Hunted (Wolfblood Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rhydian

Eventually Maddy and I break apart, simply because I’m not sure that she can stand up for much longer. I make her sit down by the fire, fetching my discarded coat and jumper before curling myself around her again where we can hide under them together and share our body heat. At first both of us are shivering, affected by the November evening despite the new-found warmth in our hearts, but slowly the fire we are so afraid of and her back against my chest quiets our chattering teeth. We don’t talk, but that’s not due to either of us being uncomfortable; I just rest my head on her shoulder, feeling more contented than I have since that awful day on the moors.

            My brain is only just coming to terms with her being here, in my arms, because I have been telling myself that it couldn’t happen for what feels like an age. The wonder I feel at it is almost disproportionate, like I’ve seen a fairy, or become a father, or something perhaps more incredible than seeing my…what? Girlfriend?

            My joy is interrupted by the memory of Jana’s moment of confusion, and the realisation that Maddy hadn’t told her about me asking her out. Almost immediately I feel tension wind its way up my spine, the deepest kind of fear twisting my contentment into anxiety. Maddy senses it, I can tell, and I’m suddenly worried that she’ll bring it up, tell me she isn’t sure about us anymore. Half of me can hardly believe it after that kiss, the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had, but the other half screams that she’s about to pull away from me. My heart rate starts ricocheting off the scale.

            But apparently this isn’t what Maddy’s interpreted it as, because instead she says,

            “What on earth are we going to do, Rhydian?” The desperation in the statement is subdued by her warm, comfortable sleepiness, but it’s still there. I silently thank God that she didn’t bring up our relationship. She won’t break up with you, stop worrying. There is far more to worry about right now. It’s only now that she’s asked that question that I ask it myself. What are we going to do? Up until today my primary objective has been to find Maddy, and now that I have I find that I have to focus on things that are bigger than one person and my feelings for them. Dr Whitewood has, somewhere, got the wild pack, including Mads’ parents. And in having them, she has literally got living proof of our existence. We’ve been cut off from the human world in the last few days, sure, but Jana and I have been into a few towns to get provisions and haven’t seen the headlines or heard the gossip that you’d expect from the discovery of a new species that the majority of the population would call a werewolf. For everyone else, life goes on as normal. So, for whatever reason, Dr Whitewood hasn’t gone public. But why? To find out more before she says anything? Or is what she doing illegal, as Shannon suggested back at Bernie’s? It could be for any number of reasons, but the important thing right now is this knowledge is clearly limited to a few people, for the time being. Somehow – and I really do have no idea how – we’re going to have to stop it spreading.

            The only way I can think of beginning to do this is by following the original plan to go back to Stoneybridge and employ the help of Shannon and Tom. I suggest this to Maddy, who nods.

            “Yeah,” she says, leaning further back into me, although she sounds distracted.

            “But?” I prompt. She smiles slightly at my guessing there is more to her statement than agreement, and the smile is so beautiful that the paw prints in my blood start running in circles frantically.

            “But,” she concedes, “we have to find Bryn first.”

            “Bryn? As in my little brother Bryn?” This is the last thing I expected her to say.

            Again, her initial reply is only a nod. Then she explains,

            “He found me after the raid, and we were travelling together when I got caught in the quicksand. He tried to stay with me, even when the water was nearly washing him away, until I forced him to leave. He’s out there, somewhere, trying to head home, too.”

            Everything sounds mundane, spilling from her sleepy brain, and it somehow sits oddly in my mind, the two of them being friends - or allies at least - but I understand her need to find him.

            “If he’s going to Stoneybridge as well then we’ll probably run into him along the way.” This seems a sensible option to me, but the reproach in her voice when she answers is verging on fierce.

            “Rhydian, he’s a twelve year old kid! He may be wild but he’s scared, and he was barely surviving even with me there. While we’re sat here warm and comfortable he’s probably out on the moors, cold, starving, and convinced his only pack mate left is dead. So no, we aren’t going to run into him. We’re going to find him.”

            She pushes away from me and onto her feet, lurching sideways as she does so.

            “Maddy - ” I start, but she ignores me and kneels a few feet away to prepare to use Eolas. Her back is turned to me, and I feel like it’s very much on purpose. What is it with girls? She sits very still for about a minute, staring into what looks like dead space, and then lurches backwards with a cry.

            “Oh God,” she gasps, eyes still fixed on the spot they were before but wide and full of frightened tears.

            “What is it?” I rush to her side, put my hand on her shoulder, “What happened?”

            She looks up at me, eyes glistening as they meet mine.

            “You’re never going to believe this,” she whispers.

            Right at this minute I think I could believe almost anything.

*****

I'm sorry that it's taken so long to come, but I've finally overcome my writer's block and worked out the next twist in this road - I'll update tomorrow so you aren't left in suspense for too long! What do you all think has happened to Bryn? Please comment/review, vote and fan me!Dedicated to @wolfblood215 for encouraging me to keep going :)